Fluid-actuated clutch.



R L. HIBBARD.

FLUIDACTUATED CLUTCH. APPLICATION FILED MAY 27, 1912.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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R. L. HIBBARD.

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TM SA MEIER-T L. HIIBBARD, Gill SEWICKLEY, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TORITER'CONIiEY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ACORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

FLUID-AGTUATED CLUTCH.

Patented Apr. 113, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT L. HIBBARD, of Sewickley, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Fluid- Actuated Clutches, of which the followingis a specification.

An object of my invention is to provide a new and improved clutch, andmore particularly a new and improved fluid actuated reversing clutch.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an application of myinvention, Figure 1 is a part elevational and a part longitudinalvertical sectional view of a clutch mechanism embodying my invention;Fig. 2, an enlarged detail vertical sectional view of a half of one endof the clutch mechanism; and Fig. 3, a detail side view of a portion ofa clutch element employed, showing said element mounted on the drivenshaft.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates a metallic .tubular casingformed with an opening 2 and having its ends each provided with anannular flange 3 tapped to receive threaded bolts.

4 designates a power shaft extending into the casing and provided with agear 5, and 6, a driven shaft disposed at an angle with the power shaft4. On the driven shaft 6, I provide two sets of cooperating parts, eachconstituting one-half of the clutch mechanism, and each set including aloosely mounted driven element, a clutch element rigid with the shaft,flexible diaphragms connected with the driven element and designed tocotiperate with the clutch element, togetherv with other cooperatingparts; and, as said elements-or parts of each set correspond withsimilar elements of the other set, it is be lieved that the inventionwill be fully understood if a detail description is directed more fullyto one-half of the clutch mechanism than it is to the other half.

Loosely mounted on the driven shaft 6, I

provide'bushings or sleeves 7 and 7 with each of said bushings formedwith a flanged end as shown at 8. Surrounding a portion of therespective bushings 7 and 7 are short bushings 9 and 9 each providedwith an inne r flange 10. These latter bushings are keyed to the saidbushings 7 and 7, and mounted on and keyed to each of the short bushings9 and 9 are the respective driven elements, asillustrated, gear wheels11 and 11 adapted to mesh with the gear 5 of shaft 4 and be rotated inopposite directions by the shaft 4. These loosely mounted gear wheels 11and 11, or driven elements, are respectively connected with diaphragms12, 13, and 12 13, said diaphragms are preferably flexible and aredisposed on opposite sides of clutch members 14 and 14*. I

Each of the clutch members or elements 14 and 14 has a centrallydisposed opening and a hub portion 15, the latter designed to be keyedto the driven shaft 6. The respective diaphragms 12 and 12 are securedto the flanges 8 .of the sleeves 7 and 7 by means of rivets 16, asparticularly shown by Fig. 2.

17 designates annular rings employed in connection with the flanged ends8 of the sleeves for clamping the diaphragms 12 and 12 between them, therivets 16 being passed through said rings and the flanged ends 8.

Encircling each of the clutch elements 14 and 14, is a ring 18, and toeach of said rings 18 the peripheries of the diaphragms 12 and 13' aresecured by means of bolts 19.

2O designates a ring loosely mounted on the hub portion 15 and designed,in connection with an annular flanged member 21, for clamping thecentral portion of the diaphragm 13 therebetween, and 23 a series ofrivets passing through the ring 20 and a flange of the member 21.Located within the flanged member 21, I provide a U-shaped leather 23.The diaphragm being c0nnected with the sleeves 7 and 7*, as described,rotates therewith as said sleeves are rotated by the driven elements 11and 11*, which latter in turn mesh with and are driven by the powershaft gear 5.

Secured to the annular flanges 3 at each end of the casing, and closingthe ends thereof, I provide an inner circular plate member 24 havingahub portion 25 and an outer circular plate member 26 having a hubportion 27. These respective members are secured to the annular flanges3 of the casing by means of a series of bolts '28 passed interposedbetween the interior hub surface of hub and the sleeve 7, i provideroller bearings 32, said bearings being maintained in the desiredposition between flanged end 3 of sleeve 7 and the flanged end 10 ofsleeve 9 by means of a split ring 33 and annular spacing members and 35.Member 31 is provided with a recess on its peripher y to receive anannular ii-shaped leather 36 designed to prevent fluid escap ing fromthe fluid chamber 31 in the direc tion of the driven member 11.

Located between the hub portion 15 of the clutch member 14 and the hub27. of the outer member 26, is a roller bearing 37 for hub 15 of theclutch member, said nearing being maintained in the desired operativepositionby means of a split ring 38 and an internally threaded bushing39, the latter being secured to a threaded portionof the hub 15. 40designates a Ueshaped' leather designed to prevent the escape of fluidfrom the fluid chamber.

The actuating fluid is supplied to the interior of the fluid chamber 31from a suitable source of supply, not shown, by means of piping 41having the ends thereof entered through openings 42 formed in the outermembers 26 and 26".

43 designates a four-way valve mechanism for permitting fluid to bealternately supplied to and exhausted from opposite ends of the clutchmechanism.

Fluid under pressure being supplied to the fluid chamber located at oneside of the clutch mechanism will cause the rotating flexible diaphragmsto clasp the circular per,- tion of clutch member 14, thereby carryingsaid member 14, together with the shaft 6, in the direction of rotationofthe driven member 11. To reverse the rotation of driven shaft 6, fluidis exhausted from the fluid chamber 31 causing the diaphragms to releasethe clutch member 14. Simultaneously with the exhaust of fluid fromchamber 31, fluid under pressure is admitted to the chamber 011 theopposite end of the clutch mechanism, thereby causing the diaphragms12*" and 13 to clasp the clutch member 14 and to rotate the shaftin thedirection of the travel of the driven element 9*.

To maintain atmospheric pressure at all times between the diaphragms 12and 13 and 12 and 13", I provide a series of ports 44 and, a series ofradial grooves 45, the latter being in communication with the annularspace 46 located between the shaft and the sleeve 7.

What I-claim is 1. In a clutch, the combination witha ro-- tary shaft,of a driven element loosely mounted on the shaft, a clutch element rigidwith the shaft, a diaphragm connected with the driven element andcooperating with the clutch element, and means for supplying 2. In aclutch, the combination with a rotary shaft, of a fixed casing having afluid chamber-,0. driven element loosely mounted on the shaft, a clutchelement rigid with the shaft located in the fluid chamber, adiaphragmconnected with the driven element located in the fluid chamberand cooperating with the clutch element, and means for supplying fluidunder pressure to the fluid chamber.

3. Ina clutch, the combination with a rotary shaft, of a driven elementloosely mounted on the shaft, a clutch element rigid with the shaft, alixcd casing having a fluid chamber, said clutch element located in thefluid chamber, flexible diaphragnis within the fluid chamber and locatedon opposite sides of the clutch element, said diaphragins coiiperatingwith the clutch element, and means for supplying fluid under pressure tothe fluid chamber.

In a clutch, the combination with a rotary shaft, of a driven elementloosely mounted on the shaft, a clutch clement rigid with the shaft,afixed casing having, a thud Cl'litll'lbel, said clutch element locatedin the fluid chamber, flexible diaphragms within the fluid chamber andlocated on opposite sides of the clutch element, said diaphragms movablewith the driven element and cooperating with the clutch element, andmeans for supplying fluid under pressure to the fluid chamber.

5. In a clutch, the combination with a rotary shaft, of a sleeve looselymounted on and held against endwise movement relative to the shaft, adriven gear rigid with the sleeve, operable means for driving the gear,a clutch element rigid with the shaft, a diaphragm connected with thesleeve and coiiperating with the clutch element, and means for supplyingfluid under pressure to the diaphragm.

6. In a clutch the combination with a rotary shaft, of a driven elementloosely mounted on the shaft, operable means for driving the drivenelement, a clutch element rigid with the shaft and including a disklilreportion and a hub portion, flexible diaphragms arranged on oppositesides of and cooperating with the disk-like portion of a clutch element,and means for supplying fluid under pressure to the diaphragm.

7. In a reversing clutch, the combination with a rotary shaft adapted tobe driven, of spaced driven elements loosely mounted on the shaft,spaced clutch elements rigid with the shaft, a pair of fixed casingseach having a fluid chamber, flexible diaphragms located in each of thefluid chambers and disposed on opposite sides of each clutch element,said diaphragms being fixedly conit nected to the driven elements, andmeans connected to the casing for supplying fluid under pressure from acommon source to the fluid chambers to force the diaphragms intoengagement with the clutch elements, and an inclosing member connectingthe casings.

8. Inna reversing clutch, the combination with a rotary shaft, of spaceddriven elements loosely mounted on the shaft, spaced clutch elementsrigid with the shaft, a pair of fixed casings each having a fluidchamber, flexible diaphragms located in each of the fluid chambers anddisposed on opposite sides of each clutch element, said diaphragms beingfixedly connected to the driven elements, and means connected to thecasings for supplying fluid under pressure to one set of diaphragmsand'for effecting an exhaust from the other set of diaphragms, and aninclosing member connecting the casmgs.

9. In a clutch and in combination, a driven shaft, a fixed casing havinga fluid chamber, a constantly driven element mounted on the shaft andadapted to act as a driving element for the shaft at will, cooperativeclutch elements within the chamber fixedly connected respectively withthe driven element and the shaft, and means for supplying fluid underpressure to the fluid chamber whereby the shaft and said driven elementmay be operatively connected together within the chamber.

10. In a clutch, the combination with a introduced therein,

clutch and in combinaspaced apart fixed eats-- a source of fluidpressure supply, means for controlling the supply to'either chamber atwill, a drive member, and independent axially alined clutch mechanismsintermediate the drive member and the shaft, each mechanism includingcooperative clutching elements, each chamber being adapted toreceive theclutch elements of one of the mechanisms, the clutching elements of acasing being rendered active by the'fluid pressure whereby the. shaftmay be rotated in either direction from asingle power source at will,and an inclosing member connecting the fixed casings.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT L. HIIBBARD.

Witnesses: I

W. G. DOOLITTLE F. E. GArrHnR.

said shaft extends, each casing having a fluid chamber connected to

